SigEnergy reckons they’ve grabbed 30% of Australia’s home battery market. From basically nothing just over a year ago, that’s pretty bloody impressive.
Can’t say I’m shocked though. I made a video about their gear when it first came out. Thought the SigEnergy stack of battery, inverter, EV charger all rolled into one tidy package was damn clever – fast, flexible, and the fastest, easiest commissioning I’ve ever seen. Nobody paid me to say that (I don’t take manufacturer money), but I was genuinely impressed. Apparently, that video catapulted their sales.
Good on them. Happy to see them doing well.
But when something gets this hot, the comment sections tend to get a bit spicy too.
Mark Cavanagh from MC Electrical – mate of mine and one of the most respected blokes in the industry – posted a thoughtful video raising some concerns about the product. Technical stuff. Measured. Reasonable. You’d think a company on the rise would welcome that kind of feedback.
Instead? Mark got roasted.
A few days later, Glen Morris (another smart, thoughtful guy) posted a video defending the system. That’s fair enough. But some of the online reaction was anything but fair. Comment after comment attacking Mark’s credibility. Accusing him of making stuff up. Of shilling for Fronius. Of having some hidden agenda.
It Isn’t Easy Calling Out Big Brands
Let’s be clear: this is completely backwards.
Mark doesn’t criticise competing products because he sells Fronius. He sells Fronius because after 15 years and hundreds of installs, that’s the gear he trusts. He’s a free agent. Family business. His name’s on the door. He’s not going to hand his kids a company built on kit he has misgivings about.
He’s also one of the bravest people in the solar industry. Most people have no idea what he went through when he called out SolarEdge years ago. Let’s just say it wasn’t pretty (and IMO SolarEdge should be ashamed) – but it helped push the whole industry forward.
And I get this too. Any time I raise concerns, someone pipes up with: “You only say that because you run a solar website!” No. It’s the other way round. I run a solar website because I’ve always said this stuff.1
I am impressed with what SigEnergy has accomplished in Australia in a short space of time, but I’ll continue to view them and any brand through a skeptical lens.
No Company Is Above Criticism
The point is: admiration is fine. But don’t turn it into worship. No brand – no matter how smart or shiny – is above criticism. Especially when they’re flogging $7,000 EV chargers. That’s expensive no matter how fast they are. So’s a Bugatti.
This industry doesn’t need more influencers. It needs qualified sceptics. Practitioners. People willing to say “hang on” and ask the annoying questions before things go sideways.
SigEnergy’s rise is impressive. Their product is changing the industry. They secured a podium finish in both the best battery and best EV charger categories for our Installer’s Choice Awards. Their fans are enthusiastic. I’m enthusiastic.
But if it’s as good as they say, it’ll hold up just fine under scrutiny.
So let’s welcome the praise, and the pushback. That’s how real trust gets built, and how this industry ends up with the best gear possible.